Deepak Chopra on the teaching of Christ

Following Hannity's interview with the Illustrious Mr. Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, which Mr. Hannity proudly pointed out is the most-sold book, only to the Bible. In page 91 of his Purpose Driven life, Warren suggests for people to use "breath prayers," which are also know as "centering prayer," "contemplative prayer," or in Hinduism "transcendental meditation." Yoga is Sanskrit for "being yoked to the divine." As one Hindu yogi said, "There is no such thing as Chrisitan yoga." I digress.
Hannity's interview was "smoothly" followed by an interview with new age guru Deepak Chopra, promoting his new book, detailing the before unknown rebellious teen life of Jesus, and the resulting spiritual development (out of His rebellion), to be such a great spiritual leader, pionting people to find the divine within.
Sunday our pastor mentioned John 10 was one of his favorite chapters in the entire bible, and encouraged us to read it. Yesterday morning I did. Watching Hannity's show last night, Chopra referenced this very chapter (thank God for providence), citing the words of Jesus: "My Father and I are one (v. 30)," not mentioning the preceding verses which would void his argument.

31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him.

32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?”

33 “We aren’t stoning You for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because You—being a man—make Yourself God.”

John 10:31-33 (HCSB)


From here, Chopra goes on to say how Jesus explained from that point, Jesus explains how we are all god. He goes on later in the interview to explain that we all have that spark of divinity within us, "all" referring to all people, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostic, Baptists, Sikhs, Jews, etc. But is that really what Jesus was saying. Let's look at the text:

34 Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, I said, you are gods? 35 If He called those whom the word of God came to ‘gods’—and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?
John 10:34-36 (HCSB)


The passage cited by Jesus is Ps. 82:6:

6 I said, “You are gods;
you are all sons of the Most High.
Psalms 82:6 (HCSB)


This is one of the most often misquoted verses used by cults like the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and New Agers, to point out that we all either can become gods, or we have the "spark of divinity" within us. What is this verse, which Jesus referred to, actually mean? A VERY IMPORTANT principle in Bible study, is to read the verse in the context of its surrounding text. What does the next verse say?
7 However, you will die like men

and fall like any other ruler.”

Psalms 82:7 (HCSB)


So the following verse tells us that these so called 'gods' will die like other men, or like any other ruler. A look at the preceeding verses will show that the 'rulers' are ruling in injustice, showing partiality to the wicked (v.2), being admonished to provide justice for the needy and fatherless; to uphold the rights of the oppressed and destitute (is wealth a right?). These rulers, gods, are referring to the judges of Israel, who stood in the place of God to render His decisions and judgments for the Israeli people, as Moses was God to his brother Aaron (Ex. 4:16).

This is not a passage where Jesus is saying that we all have god within us, or that we can attain a 'God' conciousness. Let's look at what he said in the preceeding verses of John 10:

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:11 (HCSB)


14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.
John 10:14-15 (HCSB)


27 My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
John 10:27-30 (HCSB)


Jesus and the Father are one. This was His teaching. And He lays down His life for the sheep, and gives them eternal life. He also teaches later in the good news of John, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." Not even Deepak Chopra!

A response to pastor Scott

This is a note from a friend posted to me of her friend, pastor Scott. She wanted to know my comment, and not taht I am anything, but deception is great in our time, so I thought this deserved attention so people will begin to know what they have got themselves into by electing Barrack Obama.
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Last year I had the privilege of attending Sojourners Call to Renewal in Washington D.C. Along with amazing thinkers like Jim Wallis, Brian Mclaren, Shane Claiborne, Lynne Hybels, Freddie Haynes, Joel Hunter (who is pro-life and recently gave the Democratic National Convention opening prayer) - I was able to also see the three main Democratic contenders at that time; John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.

(By the way, I ran into and got to speak to Freddie Haynes this week as I was coming out of Whole Foods in Dallas...he is an awesome guy and was nearly chosen to be the next president of the NAACP, but alas he is a disciple of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's brand of black liberation theology and they couldn't stand up to the controversy.)

Anyway, I wonder if you might watch a clip of what I recorded that night from Obama (facebook readers will have to follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQTaaro_Vog -be prepared to turn up the volume -


Last year I had the privilege of attending Sojourners Call to Renewal in Washington D.C. Along with amazing thinkers like Jim Wallis, Brian Mclaren, Shane Claiborne, Lynne Hybels, Freddie Haynes, Joel Hunter (who is pro-life and recently gave the Democratic National Convention opening prayer) - I was able to also see the three main Democratic contenders at that time; John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.

(By the way, I ran into and got to speak to Freddie Haynes this week as I was coming out of Whole Foods in Dallas...he is an awesome guy and was nearly chosen to be the next president of the NAACP, but alas he is a disciple of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's brand of black liberation theology and they couldn't stand up to the controversy.)

Anyway, I wonder if you might watch a clip of what I recorded that night from Obama (facebook readers will have to follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQTaaro_Vog -be prepared to turn up the volume -



What Obama is describing is a Christian view of "the common good". It really is a Biblical idea that turns Cain's question to God around:

"Am I my brother's keeper?"

And, of course, the answer is, "yes".

It also strikes at the very center of the central commandment, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

It is unfortunate that we as Christians often base our political philosophy more on Darwinism than we do on the words of Jesus. It is as if we have taken an extreme notion of "self reliance" and personal responsibility from the pages of On the Origin of the Species; preferring laissez-faire capitalism and survival of the fittest over "whatsoever you do unto the least of these, you do also to me."

The Common Good understands that when an individual in our society suffers, we all suffer. The homeless Vietnam veteran I encounter at the intersection near my apartment...is my problem. The single mother of the little girl that sits beside my son in kindergarten - who is unable to miss work for fear of being fired when her daughter is sick should stay home...is my problem. The 500 Dallas teachers who were just laid off. The families I know who are trying to live on minimum wage... These are my problems.

These "personal problems" affect us all.

We ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" and God says, "Yes."

Often some of my friends will say, "Yes, but it isn't the governments job to __fill in the blank___".
Often, advances in what the "government" provides are demonized as "socialism". But I wonder, who do we think that the "government" is? In this representative Democracy aren't we the government? Isn't this supposed to be a government of the people, for the people, and by the people? If it is we who pay the taxes, we who elect our representatives who pass the laws, and we who are the true "deciders" - then aren't we really saying, "Yes, but it isn't MY job to __fill in the blank___."

Reminds me of another guy who was full of excuses..."Really, God, I mean, am I my brother's keeper???"

Yes, Cain, yes you are.

The next time your kid goes to a public school, you accept an educational grant or subsidised college loan, you collect unemployment benefits, you work 40 hours a week instead of 80, you drive on a public road, go to the mailbox and check the mail, ride in an airplane that doesn't collide into another one, drink water that didn't come from a well, eat out and don't get sick, enjoy the protection of the US military, visit a state park...be thankful that there are a lot of people who believe in the common good.

Now, of course I am not advocating that we sell everything we have and give it to the poor! That would be crazy! But I wonder if we might start taking some steps in the right direction by at least acknowledging that our neighbors problems affect us all...and then on a very local and personal level we do something about it.

The person with the broken down car that you pass in traffic is your neighbor - and his problem is your problem.

The family living with no health insurance - that's not just their problem.

Ahhhh - has Satan convinced you of the myth of scarcity? Do you really believe that there isn't enough to go around? There is - if each of us only takes what we need...but that's another post.


My Response -

Yeah, the emergent church is behind Obama and Rick Warren, and is part of the great Apostasy. Not only does lighthousetrails watching this stuff, so does www.sliceoflaodicea.org, www.christianresearchnetwork.com, www.carm.org, there's lots of them that see the dangers! We've got to be on our toes!
In his paragraph about govt responsibiliities, and personal (Christian responsibilities ~ which ins some cases, b/c of red tape, the Church can't perform it's Biblical mandates, i.e., caring for the orphans and widows, at least, not wtihout going through govt. "training," or conditioning!) he criticizes those who "demonize" socialism, while socialism doesn't believe in personal property. It does not allow people to prosper form their own work and excellence, but takes the reward, or "wealth," and gives it to those who will not work. The Bible says, if a man does not work, he should not eat! Care and helping those in trouble is to be of a free, generous heart, and not through a government collectivized network of paid employees who are not able or equipped to give the compassion and loving care to each individual that the Bible demands.
This great democratic country was birthed out of the Protestant Reformation, before it, nothing like the U.S.A. had been known on earth. As our nation abandons the great, godly heritage from whence it came, we our losing our freedoms, and having enemies increase against us. God has removed His blessing from our nation.

Israel is THE MAIN ISSUE!

Stan Goodenough has written a great blog about how Israel is THE ISSUE in this current election.

The link to this blog is http://www.stangoodenough.com/?p=162

I too agree with his final conclusion. If Barak Obama is elected, will this remove (even further) God's hand of blessing on our great nation?